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Recommendation letter for Tom Dolan, Candidate for Edgar County Sheriff.

As a Paramedic and a volunteer Firefighter I have worked with and recieved assistance from Officer Dolan while responding to and at emergency scenes. Officer Dolan always responds to every single medical call even if it seems minor, he’s right there every time we need him. From getting information or helping move a patient, Officer Dolan helps us without a question asked. One instance that keeps coming to mind is, I was on a scene of a house fire as a firefighter and another call came out in another community for an accident with multiple injuries and unresponsive patient. The fire apparatus I responded with was unable to be moved, and they needed additional ambulances at the scene. Without hesitation, Dolan gave myself and 2 other firefighters a ride to the other jurisdiction to get the other ambulance to respond with. Tom always checks up on first responders no matter what, especially after a very stressful and or unfavorable outcome. He always lends his ear and words of kindness. In my opinion, Tom would make an excellent choice as Sheriff. -Josh Pointer, Paramedic/Firefighter.

Training matters. It keeps us alive, and it keeps you alive. But did you know the Edgar County Sheriff Department doesn’t always participate in training?

When the Paris Police Department started their Active Shooter training last fall, I asked if I could participate. It was great training.

My former Chief and I went through together as a team. We responded to each scenario, and worked through the Active Shooter drills together.

We weren’t perfect, but we did well. We even caught someone waiting in ambush that other teams missed.

Even though invited, the ECSD wasn’t there. To be fair, they only had a week’s notice, but that’s all I’d gotten, and I still found a way to get there.

A month later, PPD repeated the training so the rest of their officers could go through it. Even though invited again, ECSD was not there.

This past Spring, the PPD offered yet another Active Shooter training session. This time, ECSD Deputies participated in the training drills, but there was one notable absence—the Sheriff.

A couple years ago, Crestwood had some Active Shooter experts come in and train their staff. The Sheriff was not there either.

If my team does training (and they will), I’m going to be right there with them. Always.

ECSD actually has a training budget, but the last time I checked, they’d only spent about 10% of their annual training budget. If the officers want to go to classes, they often have to go through other departments.

A few months ago, I went to Chicago at my own expense to take a week long Officer Survival Instructor seminar called GST. I’d been waiting years to do it.

It was fantastic. Over 80 officers from across the state were there learning the system, and how to teach it to other cops. The following week, I began teaching it to local officers at no charge.

I’ll also continue training the public, particularly our schools and churches. Just this week, I worked with a church in Washington, IN to help them set up a Security Team and give them Active Shooter Response training.

I believe part of the solution is simply letting the Deputies know what training is available, and then giving them the opportunity to get there. I’ll also create a culture that expects and looks forward to training.

You can be sure that I’ll make more training mandatory, and I’ll train right alongside them, too. Training matters!

To whom it may concern, this is my recommendation for Tom Dolan for Sheriff. I have worked with Dolan on calls from domestics to fights, to taking violent offenders into custody. Tom is firm and fair with how he deals with every person. He takes charge when needed. He makes sure we have the full story, and checks every single end of a situation before making a decision. Dolan comes in with little to no notice to cover shifts, without so much as a complaint, but with a smile to just help out. In my opinion Tom Dolan would be a very good leader and Sheriff! -Officer McCain #343.

A friend told me about a recent conversation with another, who said: “Don’t vote for Dolan, he’s going to be tough on DUI’s.” I guess it was a topic of bar conversation.

Of course I will be. I already am. I have two cases pending right now, in the criminal justice system. When called, I’ll gladly testify about my traffic stops and the subsequent DUI arrests I made.

I’m not anti-bar, or even anti-drinking. But I’m definitely against driving under the influence.

When someone gets behind the wheel like that, they put everyone else at risk, including themselves. So I make a point to watch for DUI’s when I’m on patrol. When I see them, I stop them.

Just about every shift, I’ll hear a “10-55 Make your own case” call, where someone has called in a DUI. It’s typically “heading _____bound, swerving all over the road, into oncoming traffic…”.

A recent one went all the way from Marshall to Paris. The vehicle was finally located and stopped about a block before the individual got home.

But many people make it home before we can get there. Especially if the call was delayed. In this case, a citizen followed behind, and continued to update 911, so the officers were able to zero in on it.

When I went through field sobriety certification, we learned the average DUI offender has done it more than 600 times. I remember thinking, “No way.”

Now, I believe it. Some people just slip through the net. Others just keep on doing it. I’ve arrested more than a few people for driving DUI, on a revoked license for…(surprise), a prior DUI.

There used to be an awareness campaign that said “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” It’s still true.

I remember years ago, one local tavern created a shuttle service. I’ve seen others utilize taxi services. Now we have Uber, Lift, and other options.

I like the effort made every other year to educate the kids before prom. They stage a scene, with actors, and an actual wrecked vehicle.

They have EMS and Police respond, and even the coroner. It’s a sobering experience that makes the point strongly. But we should do it every year.

We need to continue educating our kids about making better choices. We need to keep making the point, and making it strongly. Their lives depend on it.

If someone happens to get caught for DUI, please don’t get mad at us. We’re doing our jobs.

At least they can’t hurt themselves or someone else that night. Hopefully, it will be a wake up call for them, too.

So yes, that guy was right. I will be “tough on DUI’s.” I already am. It’s too important not to be.